Spring-urged ratchet advance element for revolvers



May 7, 1968 w. T. @ujNN 3,381,404

SPRING-URGED RATCHET ADVANCE ELEMENT FOR REVOLVERS Filed Oct. 12, 1966 FIG. .9. FIG; 4. F7 6. 5.

INVENTOR.

4 TTOPIVEY.

United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A firearm hand for a revolver with a ratchet, the hand having a spring-biased contact with the ratchet.

This invention pertains to firearm mechanisms, and more specifically, to an improved means for the advance of a ratchet element in a revolver or like device. The particular means at issue concerns the hand element for the controlled rotation of the cylinder of a revolver, and related mechanisms.

In current revolver constructions, it is necessary that the rotating or indexing mechanism elements be held to close tolerances in production in order to ensure correct alignment of these elements in the operation of the firearm. The elements of the indexing mechanism normally include a ratchet assembly on the cylinder of the firearm and a hand actuated by the trigger to contact and advance the ratchet. Original tolerances are difficult to maintain due to constant contact of the elements in use, resulting in unsatisfactory operation and frequent necessity for repair. It is a basic objective of the present invention to provide an improved hand element not subject to dimen sional variance due to wear whereby to reduce the necessity for maintenance and repair of this element, to ensure the correct alignment of the firearm elements in use, and to reduce the need for extremely close tolerances in original manufacture.

Further objects include the provision of a hand element or index advancing device which eliminates time consuming fitting operations in the manufacture of firearms, and one which finds particular utility in the rebuilding or repair of existing revolvers. In addition, the device hereof compensates for wear in other revolver elements, at the same time maintaining the correct alignment of the revolver cylinder and barrel or timing of the mechanism.

Other and furtherobjects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the following specification when read in conjunction with the annexed drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of portions of a revolver mechanism involved in the present invention, partially in cross section for illustration of details;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1, showing the elements in another operating position;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of a hand element constructed and assembled in accordance with the teachings of this invention;

FIGURE 4 is a frontal view, partially in cross section on the lines 44 of FIGURE 3, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIGURE 5 is a further sectional view, taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

With more specific reference to the drawing, FIGURES 1 and 2 illustrate a typical environment of use of the invention briefly described herein by way of background. The environment includes a revolver having a frame partially shown and indicated at 12 including the usual conventional elements such as a hammer 14 and cylinder 16. The cylinder 16 has a rear face 18 to which is fixed a ratchet 20 including ratchet faces 22. The cylinder further conventionally includes a plurality of slots 24 to receive a stop lug 26 at the correct advance locations. Pivoted to the frame by any suitable means is a trigger 28 having a heel portion 30 with an elongated slot 32 formed therein for a purpose described below. As shown in FIGURE 2, the slot 32 has a spring 34 disposed therein. The frame 12 includes a back section 36 serving as a guide means for the hand hereinafter described. The foregoing is representative of conventional revolver constructions and the revolver construction per se does not constitute the present invention.

FIGURES 3 through 5 disclose a hand element 38 comprising a preferred form of the present invention. The hand 38 includes an elongated main body 40 formed of metal or the like and having a lower end portion 42 of reduced thickness and an opposite upper end portion 44.

The lower end portion 42 terminates at one extremity in an enlarged section 46 from which projects a generally perpendicularly arranged, substantially cylindrical .pin 48. The enlarged section 46 and pin 48 comprise means for connection of the main body portion with the trigger 28, the pin extending into the slot 32 as appears in more detail below.

The upper end portion 44 of the main body 40 terminates in an angular end edge 50. The upper end section has a forward cut-out portion 52 forming a ledge section with a ledge face 54 substantially perpendicular to the main extent of the body portion and a stepped rear face 56. The stepped rear face 56 includes a step wall 58 which is substantially parallel to the ledge wall 54.

An elongated bore 60 is formed in the enlarged upper end portion 44 of the main body portion, and as seen in FIGURES 4 and 5, the bore opens on the ledge face 54.

A ratchet advance element 62 overlies the ledge face 54 and includes a reduced upper end section 64 terminating in a face 66. The face 66 normally abuts against the step wall 58 at its inward end. A shaft 67 depends from the ratchet advance element 62 and extends slidably into the bore 66. A coil spring 68 is disposed within the bore and serves to constantly bias the shaft outwardly, thus maintaining, normally, the contact between the face 66 of the ratchet advance element and the step wall 58.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that the outward extent of the face 66 of the ratchet advance element remains substantially constant despite any wear to which it is subject in use.

Referring again to FIGURES 1 and 2, it is seen therein that the hand 38 is interposed between the trigger 28 and the ratchet 20, whereby rearward movement of the trigger forces the hand element upwardly with the face 66 of the ratchet advance element 62 contacting the ratchet race 22 and forcing the ratchet to be rotated a selected distance. The non-rigid form of the present hand element substantially reduces Wear at the point of contact, and eliminates the need for constant rechecking of tolerances at this point.

Having described and illustrated one example of this invention in some detail, it will be understood that this description and illustration have been offered merely by way of example, and that the invention is to be limited in scope only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a firearm mechanism which includes a stepped ratchet or like element to be advanced a selected distance and a trigger for effecting the advance, a hand element interposed between the trigger and the ratchet comprising:

an elongated main body having a lower end portion and an opposite upper end portion;

means for connection of the main body portion with the trigger;

the upper end portion having a forward cut-out portion with a ledg face and a stepped rear face, the stepped rear face including a step wall;

the main body having a vertically extending bore formed therein opening on the ledge face;

a ratchet advance element overlying the ledge face and normally abutting the step wall;

a shaft depending from the ratchet advance element within the bore; and

a coil spring in the bore urging the shaft outwardly to cause the ratchet advance element to contact the step a body portion having opposite upper and lower end portions;

means connecting the body portion to the trigger means of the firearm mechanism;

the upper end portion of the hand element having a cut-out portion with a stepped face including a step wall;

the body portion having a bore formed therein;

a ratchet advance element, including shaft means extending into said here, said clement normally abutting wall. 10 the step wall; and 2. The invention of claim 1, wherein: spring means constantly urging the ratchet advance elethe lower end portion of the main body is reduced. ment to that position wherein it contacts the step 3. The invention of claim 1, wherein: wall. the means for connection of the main body with the 15 g g m g trigger includes a substantially perpendicularly arranged pin on the lower end of the main body portion secured to the trigger for movement therewith. 4. In a firearm mechanism which includes a ratchet to UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,049,107 12/1912 Key 4259 3,158,950 12/1964 Freed 4265 be advanced a selected distance and trigger means for ef- 20 n T fecting the advance, a hand element interposed between BENJAMEN BURCFIELT, 'y Emmmrthe trigger means and the ratchet comprising: 

